Major warns of troubles ahead
DUP pact ‘could harm peace process’ Party’s demands might cost £1bn
SIR John Major fears Theresa May’s proposed Tory/DUP alliance could lead to bloodshed across Northern Ireland.
He revealed he was “concerned, wary and dubious” about the planned pact, warning it could badly damage the peace process.
The Tory said any such deal risked destroying trust in the Government in its role as impartial broker between unionists and republicans.
Sir John added: “The last thing we want to see is one or other of the communities so aggrieved that the hard men, who are still there lurking… return to some form of violence.
“We really need to do everything we conceivably can to make sure that doesn’t happen, and that does require an impartial UK government.” Sir John, who when Prime Minister in the 1990s was a key architect of the peace process, added: “It is very important there is an honest broker – and the only honest broker can be the UK Government.
“If they cease to be seen as such… one can’t be quite certain how events will unwind. And that worries me a great deal about the peace process.” He said the crisis could become “catastrophic” if Brexit goes badly wrong and a new land border is created between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
Yesterday Mrs May embarked on her first face-to-face negotiations with DUP leader Arlene Foster in Westminster, as the pair sought a backroom deal to keep the Tories in power.
Talks broke up last night without any agreement. No10 insisted it should be finalised today or tomorrow – leaving the date of the Queen’s Speech still in doubt. There are suggestions the DUP deal to prop up the Tories could cost taxpayers £1billion over the course of this parliament. Ms Foster said “doing what is right for Northern Ireland in... economic matters” formed part of the talks. The hardline unionists have called for cuts to corporation tax to 12.5%. This may cost up to £275million a year if agreed by the Treasury. Other demands may include the guarantee that EU funding is continued after Brexit. Northern Ireland benefits from £300million a year from the Common Agricultural Policy. The DUP could also table political demands as a condition of supporting the Tories. Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew fears the planned deal could compromise Mrs May’s bid to restore the power-sharing Stormont administration which collapsed in January. Ms Gildernew told the Mirror: “The British Government aren’t neutral brokers on the Good Friday Agreement any more if they get into bed with Arlene.”
In Paris last night, Mrs May avoided criticising Sir John and insisted the Government remains “steadfast in our commitment to the Belfast Agreement and the subsequent agreements”.